


no rules, in breakable heaven

by chingus



Series: sssnippetsaday [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Blank Period, F/M, SasuSaku Month, Some AUs, more domesticity, more married life ss, mysasusakumonth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:22:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 7,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25354699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chingus/pseuds/chingus
Summary: it's you and me, that's my whole world.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Series: sssnippetsaday [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1836112
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	1. our song

**Author's Note:**

> My entries for this year's SasuSaku Month! I opted to go for MySasuSakuMonth's concept of having your own prompts and chose to do entries based on Taylor Swift's songs. Enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i've heard every album  
> listened to radio  
> waiting for something to come along  
> that was as good as our song

“so, what’s you and sakura-chan’s song?” naruto asks, out of the blue

“our song?” 

taking a break from their spar, both of them sat under the shade of a nearby tree.

“yeah your song. you know like your theme song? song that reminds you of each other and your love and all of that crap,” naruto further explains, taking a big gulp of water from his canteen. 

sasuke considers this for a moment. he’s not really the type to indulge in songs and music but what comes to his mind isn’t some melody from the radio, but:

_ the sound of the waves crashing down the shore when he and sakura stumbled upon a beach _

_ firewood crackling as they sat next to each other under a blanket of stars _

_ sakura’s laughter after hearing his crude jokes _

_ cicadas in the summer _

_ crunch of the leaves in autumn _

_ branches rustling in the spring breeze _

_ the sound of crunching snow under their feet as they take a walk in winter _

these are not songs, sasuke is aware. they’re just normal sounds but to him, it’s music to his ears. it calms him and reminds him of his wife and their journey.

but he’s not telling naruto any of that, so sasuke shoves naruto sideways, “hn. it’s none of your business.”

and with that starts the second round of their sparring session.


	2. stay beautiful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you’re beautiful, every little piece love

sasuke stares at his newborn daughter. it seems that no matter how many times and how long he looks at her, it’s never enough. not even his powerful kekkei genkai can fully capture how utterly beautiful his daughter is.

how foolish of him, to once think that he and sakura had no reason to love each other. 

and now, this tiny human in his wife’s arms exists because they love each other enough to bring another life in this world. 

he feels himself tear up again.

he’s lost count how many times he’s cried since she was born.


	3. you belong with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you've got a smile that could light up this whole town

ame is his least favorite place, it’s gloomy atmosphere and never ending rain makes everything feel dead and cold. he doesn’t like the sensation of always being damp and his feet always muddy and—

before he can come up with more complaints in his head, he hears his companion release a soft giggle. he turns to his side and looks down on her, “what?” 

having been caught, she looks at him. he can see the effort she put to keep a straight face before she clears her throat to speak, “i’m sorry, sasuke-kun. it’s just that your hair looks so funny sticking onto your face like that.”

well that’s another item on his I-Hate-Ame-List. 

“here, let me help,” and before he knows it, sakura is on her tiptoes and is gently moving his wet hair onto the side of his face. her hand lingers by his cheek and once again they are lost in each other’s eyes.

wasting no time, he closes the gap between them and kisses her, his cold lips meeting her warm ones.

when he pulls away, he drinks in the sight of her flushed face, eyes shining with adoration reserved only for him, and her shy smile and it’s the most life he’s seen in this dreary place.


	4. love story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this love is difficult, but it's real

“you should let go of that school girl crush of yours. it’s for the best. as they say, there are many other fishes in the sea.”

it’s not the first time sakura received an unsolicited advice for her affections for sasuke-kun. ever since he defected months ago, she’s been given all sorts of passing remarks about moving on from her silly childhood crush. from her parents, her peers—even random people she’s never even met.

but what do they know? somewhere between her crying over his supposed dead body in the land of waves to the great ordeal they went through together in the chuunin exams, her silly school girl crush grew into love. 

it stopped being about squealing over sasuke-kun and his cool charm and good looks. it evolved to actually loving him after getting to know him better and discovering that underneath his cool facade, he is someone who deeply cares. he’s someone who’s been hurt and is in pain and she wants to do what she can to help him in any way she can.

sakura has come to accept that this won’t be the last time she’ll hear an unsolicited remark. she knows that the path ahead will not be an easy one, but she will endure and she will persist, because to her very core, she knows:

this is  _ love _ .


	5. superstar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i'm no one special, just another wide-eyed girl who's desperately in love with you.

she shouldn’t be here, sakura knows. but the moment the first note plays—all reasons why suddenly don’t matter. from the back of the crowd, sakura watches as sasuke begins his show and performs. and just like that, everyone else around them disappears.

sasuke left their little town right after high school graduation. he didn’t plan on telling anyone but for some reason, sakura’s instincts brought her in front of his door and catches him right before he leaves. she begged him to stay, poured her heart out, but she knows it was a losing battle. afterall, sakura knows how much sasuke wants this—to pursue his passion for music. he lets her listen to his mixtape and demos, lets her read his lyrics and correct any grammatical errors. he’s so good that she just knows this is what he’s meant to do. she can’t be the one to stand in his way, so she let him go.

he went on his way and she went on hers. while he went on producing his debut album, she poured her soul into getting into med school. sasuke’s world became bigger than the little town of konoha. 

life goes on for the both of them and sakura doesn’t like to dwell on the fact that he never bothered to kept in touch, so instead she kept herself busy with the studying and the long hours of volunteering at the local clinic.

in between, she supported him. as much as she begrudges him for forgetting about her, she still loves him and wants the best for him. she followed the news and updates about him. she bought his albums and streamed his songs—not that she really needed to, really. his loyal fangirls always make sure he’s number 1. 

she takes pride in the fact that she has his earlier songs, ones he never released to the public for some reason and his most sentimental songs that never hit the radio airwaves. those are her favorites, she plays them at night after a particularly long day and when she misses him.

sakura’s only rule she gave herself was to keep her distance. but tonight, she couldn’t help herself when he’s in town for one of his shows. 

he’s playing something different tonight, he says with that boyish smirk of his, effectively earning him a squeal of “sasuke-kun!” from the girls at the front.  _ he was my sasuke-kun first _ , she bitterly thought.

an acoustic song that he’s playing for the first time in public. the spotlight dims to focus only on sasuke and his guitar. he starts the song, the melody familiar. too familiar. and sakura is brought back to high school again. back to the time she and sasuke-kun (when he was still her sasuke-kun) were on the roof deck while he let her hear one of the first songs he’s written for the first time. it’s the same song on his demo CD, one of the only ones unreleased to the public. her heart clenches and sakura finds it hard to breathe.

sasuke begins to sing and looks at the crowd. sakura remains frozen in her spot as his eyes finally land on her. she’s not sure how he found her in this dim lighting, with her all the way in the back, but he did not break eye contact until the song finishes. 

sakura leaves before she can think any better of it. now she remembers why she kept her distance.


	6. ours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> don't you worry your pretty little mind.

“anata, is there something bothering you?”

sasuke should have known he can’t keep things from sakura. 

he takes a deep breath before speaking, “i’ve just been thinking....”

“mhmm...about what?”

“if you’ll have a hard time when we get to the village.”

“why is would i have a hard time?”

“it’s just that, you took a long term leave from your position as head medic from the hospital to join me, a convicted criminal—a former ‘terrorist’.” he pauses to take another deep breath, “you left your parents, your friends, and your duties. you belong in the village, and someone like me, who belongs nowhere, took you from them. i’m worried they might resent you for being associated with someone like me.”

“ah, i see.” she says and takes his hand and intertwines their fingers “you’re wrong though. you didn’t take me from anyone, i chose to be by your side. you and i, we belong with each other. even if things get hard, i’m not worried because as long as we’re together, we can make it through.” she moves their adjoined hands to her growing belly, “and this, is ours. no one can’t take this away from us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _i’ll fight their doubt and give you faith_


	7. superman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i'm far away but i'll never let you go. i'm love struck and looking out the window.

ever since sasuke-kun set out on his journey of finding himself, sakura has been writing him letters.

she writes to him about silly mundane things like how the weather in the village has gotten more humid, tales of her eccentric patients, naruto’s misadventures, and when she’s feeling particularly bold, how much she misses him.

she tries not to dwell with the fact that he’s yet to respond to any of them but sakura lets him move at his own pace and never pressures him to do something he’s not ready for. as long as sasuke-kun is alive and healing, she couldn’t ask for more.

besides, his messenger hawk never fails to come and collect her letter right after dropping by the hokage’s office. sakura takes it as a good sign. 

her latest letter reads:

_ dear sasuke-kun, _

_ i hope you’re doing well. i hope that you’re eating healthy and you are safe always. _

_ on my way to the hospital the other day, i came across a black stray cat. he was a grumpy little rascal but came around when i gave him some food. he kind of reminds me of you. _

_ the reparations of the village is doing well, people are starting to get back on their feet. naruto, at his big age, still manages to drink expired milk. the patients i’m looking after are recovering well. _

_ i went on a short trek on my day off last week, just a short trail by the hokage mountain. from there, i can see a nice view of the entire village. as i was admiring the scenery, i can’t help but think of the world outside the gates and i can’t help but think of you.  _

_ is the sky clearer on your side of the world? have you visited any oceans or seas? did you get a chance to try out new cuisines? how different is the world from outside the village gates? _

_ i’m sorry for asking too many silly questions. the world is a big place and i just haven’t had the chance to travel much—even on missions i don’t really get a chance to take in and admire the places i’ve been. i know, i know, you’re not on a holiday trip, but i do hope you are having a good time on the road. it’s not a crime to have some fun once in a while, you know? _

_ please take good care of yourself.  _

_ i miss you. _

_ yours always, _

_ sakura _

she watches as the hawk flies away to return to its master. and sakura continues on with her life: taking care of the hospital, watching over her patients, and attending the monthly gossip date with ino.

weeks after her last letter, sasuke’s messenger hawk is perched at her window, a letter attached to its leg. with shaking hands, sakura gingerly gets the letter and reads it:

_ sakura, _

_ if you want to know what it’s like out here, why don’t you come and find out? _

_ sasuke _


	8. speak now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> don't say yes. run away now

uchiha sasuke is a dutiful son.

this has been something sakura has known since they were kids. sasuke was more than happy to take down the path laid down for him by his family. 

she supposes she was only a brief detour then. or a maybe stop over. nevertheless, semantics doesn’t really matter when it’s all the same: they were not meant to be on the same path.

the wedding is beautiful—she didn’t expect anything less from the uchihas. everything is picture perfect, from the venue to the food to all the little details of the decor. it reeks of elegance and opulence and it makes sakura internally chafe. 

she’s uninvited, of course. but for a family as high profile as the uchihas with their top notch security and exclusivity, sakura manages to sneak her way in unnoticed. somehow she manages to blend in with the rest of the guests. how ironic, she thinks, because she never belonged. it was always made sure she was aware of that. 

she found the perfect spot by the back, far enough to be inconspicuous but near enough to be a proper spectator of the “wedding of the year”. from here, she can see his family in the front, all regal and proud, and of course, she has the perfect view of sasuke-kun, as dashing as ever.

everyone stands as the ceremony starts. all eyes on the beautiful bride floating her way down the aisle but sakura only spares her a brief glance before focusing on sasuke. his face betrays nothing, but sakura knows where to look. she can tell by his stiff posture, his tight frown, and dull eyes-- _ you wish it was me, don’t you? _

as the band begins to play the music, each passing note makes sakura feel her heart break all over again. each graceful step the bride takes closer to the altar she remembers the nights she spent with her sasuke-kun, drunkenly dancing to some silly tune in her living room. she recalls all their summers spent together by the lakeside cottage. all the inside jokes, the warmth of his embrace--it all comes crashing down all at once and sakura needs to stop here before she loses her composure.

the ceremony continues on, unaware of her internal breakdown. everything becomes a blur. it wasn’t until the preacher asks for any objections that she regains consciousness of what’s going on. the whole room goes silent and the air becomes thick with tension and she finds it suffocating.

as silently and as inconspicuous as she can, she gets up from her seat, sending one last glance and one last goodbye to her sasuke-kun before heading to the exit. she must have imagined it, but just before she leaves she swears she can feel his stare from her back.

uchiha sasuke is a dutiful son.

but haruno sakura isn’t the type of girl who ruins weddings. even for the ones where boys marry the wrong girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _this is surely not what you thought it would be_


	9. mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> flash forward and we're taking on the world together

tossing the signed forms onto the other completed paperworks, sakura let out a triumphant “Finally!” before stretching her arms and shoulders.

“i didn’t know there were so much paperwork needed to be done when a woman marries—i need to talk to naruto about all of this unnecessary bureaucracy.” she says, eyeing the file of paper she has completed.

glaring at his share of paperwork, “i’m just about done with the housing and taxing forms too and other miscellaneous crap” sasuke remarks before rubbing his temples.

sasuke gathers and organizes all their paperwork scattered on their (new) kitchen table (that they hurriedly assembled that morning) while sakura takes a look around their bare kitchen and she thinks about all the big boxes left unpacked that are scattered all around their  _ new _ home— _ their _ home.

“what are we gonna do with these? i don’t even know which ones we should start on” she absently asks

“we’ll figure it out tomorrow morning”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _we got bills to pay_  
>  we got nothing figured out


	10. holy ground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> right there where we stood, was holy ground

sasuke stands on the edge of the cliff to admire the ocean below. the afternoon sun makes the water glisten with a beautiful cerulean color and the sound of the waves crashing down calms him.

he remembers the time when he and sakura stood at this very spot. they’ve been travelling together for a little over a month when they chanced upon this view. only at that time, it was late into the afternoon and the sun was about to set—giving the sky and the ocean a myriad of pastel colors. he couldn’t forget how sakura looked absolutely ethereal and it dawned upon him that he wouldn’t want anyone else standing beside him.

sasuke releases a breath he doesn’t know he was holding and turns away from the view. the sooner he finishes his mission, the sooner he can come home to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _darling it was good,_  
>  never looking down


	11. treacherous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this slope is treacherous and i like it.

she takes one last look at konoha: the village she grew up in—home of all her friends and family. the place she has sworn loyalty and protection since childhood.

“having second thoughts?” 

she turned to look at her companion, the reason for her betrayal. as she gazes at him fully, all thoughts of the village leave her mind.

he needs her more than they do.

“of course not, sasuke-kun. let’s go”

in the stillness of the night, with the full moon as their sole witness, two shinobis clad in cloaks bearing red clouds set out to the path of no return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _nothing safe is worth the drive_


	12. everything has changed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> your eyes look like come home

sasuke thought he had long rid himself of the concept of “home”. 

of having a place to come back to.

of the feeling of belonging.

but as he stares at sakura’s determined gaze, emerald eyes shining vividly as she says, “sasuke-kun, i’m coming with you.” with so much conviction, he realizes in that moment that he still has a home in her.

he turns around before she can see his smile.

“then, let’s go.” he says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I'm feelin' like I've missed you all this time_


	13. stay stay stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i've been loving you for quite some time

“stay.”

“stay?”

“yes, sasuke-kun. why don’t you come in and _stay_ for a while for some tea? it’s the least i could do after you accompanied me on my grocery run and even helped carry the bags.”

sasuke considers the offer for a moment. he didn’t expect to spend his first day of being allowed outside the hospital to be tagging alongside sakura as she made her way through the marketplace. he did expect a level of awkwardness but to his surprise, walking side by side with sakura brought him a sense of comfort.

half the time, he found himself checking to see traces of the same girl he knew before he left. she can carry a conversation better than before, from asking about his arm and recovery to commenting about the village’s restoration efforts. it amused him to observe that she hadn’t quite lost her temper yet, when she haggled against the fish vendor over the overpricing of his produce, _ “sasuke-kun, don’t laugh at me—it’s obvious those fish aren’t fresh judging from the color and yet he wants full price! shannaroo!” _

now, he’s mostly curious about the person she grew to become and that leads him so accept her offer, “okay, i’ll stay for tea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _i think that it's best if we both stay_


	14. how you get the girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and that's how it works, that's how you get the girl

“so, how’d you get the girl?” the vendor asks as he hands sasuke the supplies he purchased. 

sasuke hands him his payment and spares the merchant a brief confused look before his eyes land at sakura, who was browsing on the next stall.

“i didn’t” 

sakura must have felt his stare on her and glances up at him, giving him a small smile before returning to the items she’s looking at.

“she got me first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _broke your heart, i'll put it back together_


	15. style

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> got that red lip classic thing that you like

it was an ambush—one he couldn’t have possibly anticipated in his own home.

there he was, coming out of the bathroom when he was yanked into a room and next thing he knew, his wife is attacking him with kisses.

before he could even begin to process what was going on, sakura stopped and gave him a cheeky smile. 

“wow so this lipstick really is kissproof” she casually remarked and it is only then he noticed his wife’s lips sporting a rogue color.

“sakura” he says, eyes not leaving her lips, “i think we should test it properly—here” his last warning before diving back in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _when we go crashing down, we come back every time_


	16. i know places

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they are hunters, we are the foxes and _we run_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow up to speak now

**[JUST IN] UCHIHA HEIR RUNS OUT OF WEDDING**

**[BREAKING] UCHIHA GROOM STORMS OUT**

**[NEWS] UCHIHA FAMILY STATEMENT REGARDING WEDDING INCIDENT**

sakura can’t help it, no matter how many times she tells herself to not look at the articles and scroll past them, she still finds herself reading anyway. she supposes it's only normal for it to blow up this way, with it being called “wedding of the year” and being tied with the uchihas.

it all happened so fast. one moment she got home after leaving the wedding, not even an hour later sasuke comes knocking on her door—in tux and all. she couldn't even begin to explain how she ended up in sasuke’s passenger seat and how they’ve already driven past konoha’s borders.

now that she has the time to think about the situation, she can’t help but feel anxious. the uchihas are a powerful family, they can’t exactly runaway from them unscathed.

“sasuke-kun, where are we going?”

“i know a few places we can go to” he said cryptically, eyes on the road.

“sasuke-kun, are you sure about this? but your family—“

“sakura” he interrupts, finally glancing at her “i’m sure” he reaches for her hand and it’s all the assurance she needs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _they take their shots but we're bulletproof._


	17. you are in love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you can hear it in the silence  
> you can feel it on the way home  
>  _you are in love_

uchihas are said to love devotedly.

sasuke knows of love for his older brother, love for his parents, and love for his fallen clan. 

but the concept of romantic love is something he has never bothered to think about. if he was being honest, he didn’t think he’d live old enough to even consider it.

now that he has lived through the worst and has the time to reflect on it, he does so while he waits for sakura’s extended night shift at the hospital to end. it’s become a habit, to wait and pick her up whenever he’s in the village and not off to a long-term mission.

he’ll see glimpses of her while working. he observes the way she radiates compassion while talking to her patients and how she quickly transforms to a stern superior when talking to her colleagues. she’s a league all on her own and his heart swells with pride. he’s always known she’ll make a name for herself.

once she exits the hospital to go home and she sees him waiting for her, she’ll give him the same look. one full of adoration as if seeing him is enough to erase all her exhaustion away. 

sasuke offers his hand and sakura flushes before intertwining hers and they begin their walk home. sakura starts recounting her day, filling up the silence of konoha’s empty streets with stories of her odd patients and gossip around the hospital. every now and then, he’ll glance at her while she’s talking and he takes note that even in the awful lighting of the streetlight, she still looks beautiful.

like the pieces of a puzzle finally coming together, he realizes that he wouldn’t want anyone else right beside him. he wouldn’t mind a lifetime of hearing stories from her and holding her hand. he wants to build a home with her—only her.

sasuke thinks he finally understands now, what it means to be in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars_


	18. blank space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you'll come back each time you leave  
>  _'cause darling i'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhh very slight nsfw warning i guess? nothing too explicit to warrant an M or E rating. but yeah

“this is the last time,” he says, voice hoarse.

sakura hums as she works on unbuttoning his shirt, kissing the exposed skin as she goes from opening one to the other.

once she rid him off his shirt, she pushes him on the bed, crawling her way on top of him.

“remind me again, sasuke-kun,” she speaks “who is the demonic succubus between the two of us again?” she asks, hand lightly caressing his jaw before moving downwards from his neck, chest, and stomach.

“you’re more insatiable than i am. always coming back for more, after saying it’s the last.” her hand finally reaches his belt and begins to unbuckle it.

sasuke has no response to this and opted to shut her up with a kiss. 

no words were exchanged hereafter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _you can tell me when it's over, if the high was worth the pain_


	19. wildest dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> say you'll see me again even if it's just in your wildest dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> note: AU

lately, he’s been having peculiar dreams. he can’t really recall them, as he forgets them as soon as he wakes up—and when he wakes up, there’s a heavy feeling in his chest and he’s finding it hard to breathe.

this time, it’s different when he wakes up. he can remember a voice calling out his name: _sasuke-kun, you’ll remember me won’t you?_ he wakes up in a coughing fit. he sees his hand and his blanket, covered in blood and, strangely, petals. cherry blossom petals.

the following nights, the dreams continue to plague him, only now he can remember some fragments: a woman, her back to him, staring at a beautiful sunset. as if sensing his presence, she turns to him and he sees a pair of mesmerizing viridian eyes. 

_sasuke-kun, you’ll remember me won’t you?_

the woman appears again in his next dreams. sometimes, her hair is short. other times, it reaches her waist. but in all of them, her locks were always in a shade of pink. 

she would always look at him with adoration and say his name fondly.

_sasuke-kun, you’ll remember me won’t you?_

as his dreams become more vivid and more detailed, his coughing becomes worse. sasuke feels like there’s something in his chest that hinders him from breathing.

when he finally couldn’t bear it, he scheduled an appointment with the country’s best pulmonologist.

he takes a day off from work and heads to the hospital. the nurse escorts him to the doctor’s office where he’s told to sit and wait. the doctor is on the other side of the room behind a curtain, probably looking at his files.

a few minutes passes by when the doctor calls out, “uchiha sasuke?”

he feels his chest constrict at the familiarity of the voice. he hears the curtains moved aside and when he looks up at the doctor, her focus still on her chart. he finds it hard to breathe.

_sasuke-kun, you’ll remember me won’t you?_

is he dreaming? it’s definitely her but this can’t be possible.

his thoughts were interrupted when the doctor finally looked up and met his eyes. 

at that moment, something clicks into place. memories came flooding down—of this woman and himself in all their lifetimes. 

_sasuke-kun, you’ll remember me won’t you?_

his mouth moves on its own, “sakura.”

she gives him a confused look, “have we met before?”

for the first time in months, he can breathe easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _say you'll remember me_


	20. delicate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> isn't it delicate?

they walk a little bit closer to each other now, close enough that their shoulders would occasionally graze with one another and close enough that she can feel her fingers brushing with his with every step. 

they have been on the road together for a little over a month and sakura feels like there has been a shift between them. she wasn’t even sure when exactly it happened. all she knows is that whatever  _ this _ is, it’s something very fragile and if she wasn’t careful, she might say or do something that will make him close up thus ruining everything between them.

despite all these frightening thoughts, she musters up the courage to carefully reach for his hand. with every step, she tries to deliberately bump their knuckles gently first. then, she stretches out her pinky finger, carefully hooking it around his forefinger.

_ is it too soon to do this yet? _

the sudden action made him stop on his tracks to look at her, his dark eyes finding her own and then glanced at their now adjoined hands. sakura panics, mentally reprimanding herself for this unprompted move that potentially ruined whatever progress they’ve made so far in their relationship. she is about to retreat her hand when he moves to intertwine their fingers firmly and continues walking again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _we can't make any promises now, can we babe?_


	21. gorgeous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you're so _gorgeous_ , i can't say anything to your face

“sakura, tadaima”

it doesn’t matter how long she’s known sasuke-kun or how many years she’s been married to him. each and every time she sees him after a long period of time, she gets taken aback by just how  _ handsome _ her husband is that her mind just goes blank and she finds herself lost for words. she drinks in his perfectly symmetrical face: his high cheekbones, his chiseled jaw, and his dark magnetic eyes that just drowns you even without his  _ kekkei genkai _ activated. how is it even possible to be this good looking as you age? her husband is truly something else.

when she finally realizes she’s been gawking at him for several moments and has yet to let him in, she moves aside and gives him her warm “Okaeri, anata”.

how lucky of her to have him all to herself tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _what can i say? you're gorgeous_


	22. end game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you and me we got big reputations.
> 
> and i heard about you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was inspired by the renaissance fanart of @/avoniryl on twitter! please check it out its soooooooooooo gorgeous im so obsessed with it

when he begins to gain consciousness, his body feels so stiff and so heavy that he thinks lifting his pinky finger would not be possible. instead, he tries to open his eyes. his vision blurs and he only registers a dominant color of pink and green.

he briefly humors being captured by the forest of death’s rumored  _ fairy _ . lately, there’s been rumors going around about an ethereal being residing within the cursed forest. according to village gossip, she takes form in the appearance of a young maiden with a pastel coloring and lures men into their demise. 

he must have hit his head pretty bad to be thinking about this. 

he tries to focus and gather his memories. the last thing he remembers is running away from the palace guards and running into the forest to lose them.

“are you finally awake?” a voice calls out, he only groans in response.

his sight starts to clear and the first thing he sees are green eyes and curtain of pink hair. so maybe the fairy did get to him before the guards did.

he hears her giggle, “i’m no fairy, just a painter.” ah  _ fuck _ , he’s been thinking out loud. she hands him a glass of water, he gladly takes it and gulps like a mad man.

“where am i?” he asks when he finally finds his voice.

“you’re in my house. you were bitten by a venomous snake. i had to carry you here and take care of you. you’ve been unconscious for almost 2 days but it’s only normal after taking the antidote.” she explains. 

he assesses her small form and the image of her having to carry him had him feeling guilty. instead, he asks “you live in the middle of the forest of death? isn’t that dangerous?”

“not any more dangerous than living within the village. isn’t that right, uchiha sasuke, fallen prince and now wanted traitor?” 

sasuke immediately stiffens. he notes all the possible exit points and wonders if he can take on this stranger in his state.

“relax,” she says after his initial reaction. “i only know about you because i was commissioned to do your wanted posters.”

he relaxes, but only for a bit. “tch. so you’re not gonna turn me in? i heard the price for my head is pretty high.”

“i told you, i’m a painter. i don’t really care for money.” 

sasuke considers his situation and next move. truthfully, he still doesn’t feel like he’s 100% ready to be out on the run again. 

“you can stay here for a few more days, if you want” she says, as if reading his mind. “i have an extra bed available.”

“what’s in it for you?”

“hmm” she looks like she’s genuinely considering it. “i don’t require any payment but i request you sit for me so i can do a proper portrait.”

“what—“

“i’m not gonna give it to the palace guards. as an artist, i take pride in my work and i feel a little unsatisfied how my portraits of you did not do you justice at all. then again, i only had their verbal descriptions of you and had to make do.” 

sasuke stares at her, “are you sure you’re not the fairy of the forest of death?”

“what? no!”

“okay then, deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _you and me would be a big conversation_


	23. dress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> say my name and everything just stops

there’s something about the way he says her name that sends shivers down her spine. the way he smoothly utters the first syllable and finishes firmly at the last never fails to get her heart racing.

perched on his lap right now, she’s making it her mission to hear every possible way he can say her name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _only bought this dress so can take it off_


	24. call it what you want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> loves me like i'm brand new

he wakes at the break of dawn, eyes zeroing-in on his wife’s sleeping form. it’s only been a few days since they got married and he still cannot wrap his head around the fact that he’s no longer the sole uchiha member.

she’s seen him become the worst version of himself—has had first hand experience of the worst thing he could possibly do, and yet despite all of these, she can still find it in her heart to love him. love him like he’s brand new and not some worn out broken person he thinks he’s become.

sasuke may not fully understand this, and he is not sure he is deserving of her devotion, but he will do his damnedest to make up for it for the rest of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _starry eyes sparking up my darkest night_


	25. paper rings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kiss me once, ‘cause i had a long night  
> kiss me twice, ‘cause it’s gonna be alright  
> three times, ‘cause i’ve waited my whole life

he hears the front door open and close. then, he hears her hurried footsteps against their wooden floor, the sound getting closer. all of those things did not prepare him when his wife suddenly plopped next to him on the couch and proceeds to tightly wind her arms around his torso.

he feels her breathe him in before exhaling a “ _ tadaima _ ,” voice muffled as she buried her face against his chest.

“okaeri,” came his strangled reply as she still embraced him so tightly. “rough day?”

loosening her hold, she looks up at him, lips puckered into a pout, “yes. i need affection.”

he complies by wrapping his sole arm around her and kissing the top of her head. she wriggles in protest and whines, “more.”

he proceed to kiss the space between her eyes.

the whining continues, “sasuke-kun, more”

he lets out a soft chuckle before finally landing his lips on hers, his lips still in the form of a smile. he strokes her hair and asks, “better?”

she nods and adjusts herself to further bury her face against his neck, “so much better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _you’re the one i want_


	26. death by a thousand cuts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> trying to find a part of me you didn't touch

_ “maybe next time” _

long after he’s gone onto his journey of self-reflection and atonement, his words still repeatedly echo in her head and up until now she can still feel the ghost of his fingers as they gently tapped her forehead. the way he said thank you almost brought her back to  _ that _ fateful night but this time, she can clearly see his face and the intensity of his gaze as his utters those words.

sakura should be used to saying goodbye. after all, this isn’t the first time he left her and deep inside, she knows this won’t be the last. and yet, knowing all of this doesn’t make the ache go away—doesn’t make it easier for her at all.

but life must go on for her, with or without his presence, so she opted to bury herself in her work as a distraction for his absence. she knows it’s selfish to ask for more and she shouldn’t be thinking of herself while he’s out there trying to figure out matters that have nothing to do with her. sakura shakes her head to stop her mind from that train of thought and finishes off the last of her work for the day.

as usual, she clocked out late into the night. everyone else in the village is probably already asleep and she has the quiet streets to herself. despite the cold breeze of the night, she chose to take the long way home. thoughts of sasuke have once again occupied her mind. sakura looks up to the sky, the moon seems to be absent too, she notes. the only source of light are the streetlights along her path. 

_ is he okay? will he really come back? will there really be a next time?  _

the streetlight only flickered in answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _i can’t pretend it’s okay when it’s not_


	27. i think he knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hand on my thigh, can follow the sparks. i'll drive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> note: AU

she clears her throat. he raises a brow.

“sasuke-kun, you trust me. right?”

“yes”

“and since you are the one who mostly taught me how to drive, you’re aware of my capabilities. correct?”

“yes, sakura. i’m perfectly aware that you have enough driving skills to pass your driver’s exams with flying colors,” came in his exasperated reply. 

sakura takes her time to make sure her voice comes out evenly, “okay, good. then i have to ask, why is your hand on my thigh? scared i might wreck your car? hmm?”

“a good driver must not be swayed by any distractions,” he casually said, giving her his signature smirk.

sakura rolls her eyes, “i don’t think i’ll have any more passengers that will put their hand on my thigh but i’ll take note of that.”

he looks at her with amusement in his eyes “as your boyfriend, i better hope not.”

sakura laughs, the sound filling in the whole car. she finally starts the car, the vibrations in tandem with her heartbeat, “so, where do you wanna go?”

he responds by squeezing her thigh, “anywhere”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _i want you (bless my soul)_


	28. london boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they say home is where the heart is, but that’s not where mine lives

tanaka-san is a jovial old man that she’s been helping take care of. his cheerfulness and fun stories of his wife and kids is a nice break from all her other patients that lately seems to be mostly composed of recovering shinobis who are either in a medically induced sleep, or too in pain to talk.

tanaka-san is not from konoha. as a messenger from suna, he is sent on his last mission before retiring. however, he suffered a heart attack that required him to be in hospital care for 2 weeks. 

today, he’s set to be discharged in the afternoon and sakura pays him a visit. “ah, haruno-sensei. came to say goodbye?”

she gives him a smile, “yes, tanaka-san. i’m glad you’ve finally recovered!”

“i’m just glad i get to finally go home. i can’t stand to be away from my wife any longer. you know what they say, home is where the heart is.” he says, finishing his last sentence with a wink.

sakura just laughs at him good naturedly. 

“sensei, you’re too pretty to be single. if you’re not seeing anyone, i can introduce you to a few good lads i know. you work so hard, you deserve to be cherished!”

this offer takes her by surprise and flusters her, “oh... um... that won’t be necessary. thank you for your concern.” 

tanaka-san looks at her and seems to have come to an understanding, “alright. don’t worry about it. i wish you luck!” 

and with that, she waved him a goodbye, not without reminding him to take his medication and mind what he eats. 

_ home is where the heart is huh? _ she thinks to herself as she exits his room. her mind once again finding its way to a certain  _ someone _ , travelling across the world in search for answers. 

_ that’s not exactly where mine lives. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _darling, i fancy you_


	29. daylight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i want to be defined by the things that i love

_ avenger _

that was what he called himself for as long as he can remember. he let hatred fill and fuel his actions leading to him being called a monster.

now that the hatred has left him, there can only be room for love. 

love for his older brother. love for his fallen clan.

and now, love for his wife and their daughter.

“anata, did you hear that?” she asks, eyes wide.

“pppppa…...pa” he hears her daughter try to say while looking at him with her dark eyes. his heart constricts in his chest, as if about to burst at any moment.

a husband and now a father. it never occurred to him he’ll live to see himself be both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _i once believed love would be burning red, but it’s golden_


	30. invisible strings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> isn’t it pretty to think, all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?

the morning after their wedding night, sasuke wakes up first. he couldn’t remember the last time he slept this peacefully, like all the pieces of his life has finally come together fitting into their rightful places.

his eyes automatically land on sakura and he drinks in the way the early morning light from the window gives her an extra glow. a part of him still cannot grasp how after everything that happened between them, after all the time and distance they’ve spent apart, somehow they still ended up together.

sasuke isn’t a big believer of fate and destiny but there must be something that’s been tying him back to sakura, like a kite set free on the windy sky—no matter how strong the wind blows, which direction it takes it, there is a string pulling it back to someone who strongly holds onto it and never lets go.

his musings were interrupted with sakura waking up. the moment her eyes find his, her face lit up with a contented smile, “good morning,  _ anata _ ”

“hn. good morning,  _ tsuma _ ”

he leaned down for a kiss and she met him halfway through. it was a hell of a journey getting to this point but in the end, it still brought him to sakura, which is the closest thing to heaven he’ll have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _hell was the journey but it brought me heaven_


	31. seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _passed down like folk songs, our love lasts so long_
> 
> or sasuke and sakura, and their love through the eyes of different people throughout the years

**i.**

when they left the village for their journey together, whispers of gossip and rumors spread among the citizens:

_“just the two of them?”_

_“yes. it’s not even an official mission”_

_“traveling together unmarried, maybe they’re eloping”_

_“why is a former criminal still walking free? he even had the audacity to take one of our best medics with him on his silly journey”_

_“the sole person left from the prestigious uchiha clan and he chooses someone who’s not from a prominent clan? what a disgrace”_

**ii.**

months into their journey, they helped a refugee village fight off a group of rogue shinobi terrorizing their village. as a sign of gratitude, the villagers offered the pair some supplies they were able to spare.

once they left, the village kids gathered around and re-enacted the fight. some hid one of their arms behind their back and some drew a rhombus in the middle of their forehead. thus, a new ditty was born with lyrics about an odd-eyed, one-armed man and the fierce woman with hair like the sakura trees who splits the ground with one punch.

**iii.**

6 months of travelling together and 1 month officially as husband and wife, they ran into tazuna in the land of waves, “huh. so it’s you two that together in the end? not surprised,” they can only give him a shy affirmation composed of red faces and nodding of their head. _ah, young love_

“i’m guessing it’s you two that’s been going around helping the other small villages affected by war?” 

“what do you mean?”, sasuke asked

“just heard a few whispers and songs of an odd-eyed, one-armed man and his companion with sakura-colored hair that punches the ground … something like that,”

sakura giggled, “i see. well, is there anything we can do for this village?”

the rest of the afternoon was spent planning and discussing about the orphans the war has left.

**iv.**

fate has never been kind to karin, but isn’t it a bit _too much_ when the man who you thought was the love of your life comes barging in with his _wife in labor_ out of the blue? how can her life get any more cruel?

hours later, sasuke’s wife—sakura— gives birth to a healthy baby girl that’s the splitting image of her father. karin opted to give the new family some privacy when sakura catches her off guard by calling out to her, “thank you,” she said and sasuke only looked at her, face full of gratitude and karin excuses herself immediately. 

after cleaning herself up, she steals a glance at the family. the bitterness she expected to ride up their throat did not come as she saw the radiant glow of love coming from the three of them. 

years later, she did not expect to have to explain this to anyone.

**v.**

naruto expected some sort of development to happen between the teme and sakura-chan on their little “journey” together but apparently both his friends are more quick to act on their feelings than he thought.

“YOU GUYS GOT MARRIED? AND NOW YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER????!!!!!”

it’s all too much information all at once but the look of peace and contentment plastered all over the bastard’s face was enough explanation he needed.

**vi.**

“is sasuke home lately?” although ino’s tone is innocent enough, sakura knows her best friend enough to detect an ulterior motive.

“yeah... how did you know?”

“aha! that’s why you’ve been glowing! good for you girl! who needs an anti-aging jutsu when you have afterglow sex!”

“ino, for the love of god keep your voice down!”, sakura shrieks

“oh please i heard it first from the other nurses anyway!”

**vii.**

“i don’t understand,” chouchou says, mouth full of chips before properly chewing and swallowing, “weren’t you obsessed with knowing if your parents actually love each other?”

at the reminder sarada hides her face behind her hands. papa has been staying for longer periods of time inside the village, and more surprisingly, being at home longer. of course sarada is beyond elated. the past few months of having dinner together as a family is what she treasures the most these days.

however, she did not anticipate was to witness her parents' show of affection for one another. nothing dirty (yet) but the way they look at each other as if communicating silently, the way papa would tuck mama’s hair behind her ears, and the way mama blushes like a school girl around papa is too much for sarada to handle.

finally, sarada removes her hands from her face and stared deadpan at her friend, “i didn’t know it would be too much to handle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can't believe i actually did all 31 days dfkjksdjf but anyways, thank you for all those who has taken the time to read! And of course thank you for those who liked, RT'd, and commented here and Twitter (@/haruknow btw) !!! my heart feels full!!
> 
> just in case anyone is curious, the prompts i chose aren't necessarily aligned with the general vibe of the songs. there are just some lines that i took from each song and used it as a prompt/inspo (they're in the summary)
> 
> ALSO CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW TAYLOR SWIFT ANNOUNCED A NEW ALBUM ON SASUKE'S BIRTHDAY???? LMAO but Folklore is just so Good.
> 
> Let me know which entries was your favorite, or which folklore song you're currently obsessed with.


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